National Building, Seattle, Washington
historic place
The National Building is a historic place located in downtown Seattle, Washington, within King County. It stands on the east side of Western Avenue, between Spring and Madison Streets. The Northern Pacific Railway constructed this six-story brick building between late 1904 and mid-1905. It was originally built as a warehouse, part of the railway's plan to develop its Seattle properties and support the city's commission trade. The National Grocery Company was an early tenant, eventually occupying the entire building and giving it its name. They remained in the building until 1930. Later, it housed various manufacturing and distributing firms, and has served as an office building since the late 1960s. The National Building was individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 29, 1982. One year later, it became a City of Seattle landmark, grouped with the Globe Building, Beebe Building, and Hotel Cecil. This building represents an example of early 20th-century commercial architecture in Seattle's historic waterfront district.